SoundRaider was developed by British
programmer and experimental musician
Andy Wilson, who drew inspiration from
generative music composers, who write
computer programs that automatically
create music.

Wilson admired works of generative music
such as Brian Eno's "Koan," but wanted
something more like "'real world' sound,
sound that everyone might be familiar with,"
he said.

As a result, SoundRaider plunders its host
and plays up to 10 sounds at a time, which
have been stretched, compressed, and
looped. The result, says Wilson, "is
sometimes a bit like listening to your
machine cursing, singing, and muttering to
itself."

Wilson compares the program's creations
to "isolationist ambient" music, and says
that "many people - of strong disposition -
like to leave it running on the desktop while
they work."

Next on Wilson's plate may be a version that
trawls the whole Net for sounds. Maybe the
sounds of the Web's internal conversations
will be the signature symphony for the end
of the century.